James j



Patented May 9, I899 J. J. FAULKNER.

AGETYLENEV GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed July 23, 1898.)

(No Model.)

I INVENTOR Jab/M M 67 W WITNESSES NUNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

JAMES J. FAULKNER, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE STANDARD GAS MACHINE COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

' AC ETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,466, dated May 9, 1 899. 7

Application filed July 23, 1898. Serial No. 686,699. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. FAULKNER, of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Mannfacturing Acetylene Gas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for manufacturing acetylene gas from calcium carbid, the object being to provide a safe and comparatively simple apparatus,eitherstationary or portable,forcheaply manufacturing acetylene gas.

A further object is to provide a device which after it has been once started automatically continues the generation of the gas until the supply of carbid has been exhausted and which provides for the escape of any surplus gas generated after the generator becomes filled.

With this end in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional view of my improved stationary apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portable apparatus, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modification which may be applied to either of the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A represents avertical cylinder open at its upper end and provided with a flaring mouth 1. This cylinder, when the apparatus is'of a stationary character, may be mounted on any suitable fixed base, but when used on vehicles of various types no base is required. The lower end of cylinder A is provided with a hole 2 for the purpose of cleansing said cylinder when desired, said hole being normally closed by a plug or cap 3.

Located within cylinderA is a movable cylinder 4, the open lower end of which rests within said cylinder A, while its upper end is jects the upper open end of a tube 6, which latter is screw-threaded to receive a cap 7, through the medium of which the tube 6 is supported within said movable cylinder 4. The cap 7 also acts as an air-tight seal for tube 6 and prevents the escape of gas at that point, and it further forms an air-tight joint at the point of juncture with the upper end of movable cylinder 4 The calcium-carbid tube 6 is closed at its lower end and is provided adjacent thereto with a series of perforations 8 for the introduction of water to the calcium carbid contained therein. At or near the upper end of this tube is located a second series of perforations 9, through which the gas generated in said tube escapes to the movable cylinder.

A uniform space is at all times maintained between the stationary and movable cylinders by the packing rings or blocks 10 and 11, the former of which is preferably in the form of a ring and is secured to the stationary cylinder adjacent to its open end, while the latter ring is preferably in the form of spacing-blocks and is secured adjacent to the lower end of said movable cylinder. The ring at the top prevents any leakage between the cylinders, and in connection with blocks 11 prevents any lateral movement on the part of the movable cylinder during its ascent or descent.

A ring can be used at the open end of the inner cylinder instead of the blocks, as the opening or port 28 in the inner cylinder always prevents the formation of a partial vacuum or undue pressure and allows of the free passage of the water to and from the space between the upper and lower rings.

The upward movement of movable cylinder adjacent to and preferably above the center of tube 6, into which it is adapted to discharge at intervals jets of Water, said water passing into said tube through the nozzle 13, located above the spout projecting outwardly from the tube 6. The piston-rod for operating the pump extends upwardly to a point slightly above the end of discharge-nozzle 13 and is forced downwardly to operate said pump by the fall of movable cylinder 4, which latter when in its lowest position will engage said rod at the point 16, the upward stroke of said rod being controlled by the expansion of coiled spring 17. I

The gas-supply pipe 18 extends from a suitable point above the water-level 19 to the bottom of cylinder A and thence through the side wall of said cylinder, at which point it is coupled up with a pipe 20, through which latter the gas is conveyed to burners or gas-holders, as desired. At the juncture of pipes 18 and 20 a cock 21 is located for drawing off any water or sediment that might settle in the pipes. The open end of pipe 18 is provided with a hood 22 for deflecting the gas and preventing its direct downward passage into the end of the pipe and also for preventing the ingress of foreign matter.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is constructed exactly as above described, with the exception that the pipe 20 is provided with a cut-01f valve 23 and a burner 24:, while the cylinder Ais provided witha handle 25, by means of which the apparatus may be readily moved from place to place, as desired.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 tube 6 is divided into two compartments, communicating through the medium of a valve 26. This valve is support-ed in the seat 27 and is provided with a round or square opening or port, and when turned to the position shown in the drawings provides an uninterrupted passageway between the compartments for the passage of the calcium carbid. The primary object of this valve is to prevent the escape of gas from the movable cylinder 4 when a fresh supply of calcium carbid is being placed in the upper compartment.

To start the generation of gas in my improved apparatus, the cap 7 is first removed, and through the open end of tube 6 thus exposed water is introduced into cylinder A until it reaches the water-line 19. Owing to the absence of gas in cylinder A it will be apparent that said cylinder will be in its lowest position, and as tube 6 is supported therefrom it follows that said tube will also be in its lowest position. At the start the movable cylinder should be raised sufficiently to elevate the carbid-tube above the water, after which calcium carbid is introduced into said tube through its open end and the end closed and the movable cylinder permitted to descend. As soon as the carbid comes in contact with the water the generation of gas immediately takes place, due to the contact of the calcium carbid with the water entering through the perforations 8 of said tube 6. As rapidly as the gas is generated in tube 6 it passes off into cylinder A through the perforations 9, and as the pressure in said cylinder increases, due to the accumulation of gas, it gradually rises. The gas from cylinder A is conveyed tothe place of consumption through the pipes 18 and 20.

Should an excessive amount of gas be gen erated, the surplus thereof would be allowed to escape from cylinder A as soon as the port 28 arrived at a point above packing-ring 10, thus avoiding all danger of an explosion, due to excessive pressure within the generator.

While I have shown the carbid-tube so located and of such length as to rest with its lower end in the water contained in the outer cylinder when the inner cylinder is in its lowest position, I can, however, so locate this carbid-tube that it will always rest above the water and can saturate the carbid in the tube by the pump shown and described. I prefer, however, to use a pump in connection with a carbid-tube, which enters the watersat each descent of the inner cylinder as the water from the pump is introduced above the car bid and operates to cleanse the tube and re= move sediment and impurities that may be mixed with the carbid. This pump is operated by the fall of cylinder A and the coiled spring 17, the former controlling the down* stroke of the valve-rod, while the latter controls the upstroke thereof.

When tube .6 is provided with the valve 26, as shown-in Fig. 3, a recharge of said tube can be accomplished during the operation of the apparatus without permitting any of the gas contained in cylinder 4 to escape. When it is desired to recharge tube 6, the valve 26 is closed,cap7 removed,and a new charge of calcium carbid introd uced,after which cap 7 is replaced and valve 26.turned so as to discharge the carbid into the lower chamber, thus completing the operation of recharging without allowing any of the gas contained in the cylinder or tube 6 to escape.

It is evident that changes in the construction and relative arrangement of the several parts might be made without avoiding my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to theparticular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention,what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a generator for acetylene gas, the combination with an outer cylinder open at its top and an inner cylinder open at its bottom, of a carbid-tube depending from the top of the inner cylinder and a spring connecting the lower end of said carbid-tube with the bottom of the outer cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. In a generator for acetylene gas, the combination with an outer cylinder, open at its upper end and an inner cylinder open at its IIO lower end, of a carbid-tube depending from the top of the inner cylinder and provided with perforations near its lower end and a pump actuated by the descent of the inner cylinder for injecting water into the carbidtube. 1

3. In a generator for acetylene gas, the combination with an outer cylinder, open at its upper end, and an inner cylinder open at its lower end, of a carbid-tube depending from the top of the inner cylinder, a pump, the nozzle of which rests adjacent to the carbidtube and a pump-actuated rod depressed by contact with the inner cylinder and raised by a suitable spring.

4. In an apparatus for generating acetylene, the combination with an outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder adapted to move within said outer cylinder, of a carbid-tube depending from the interior of said inner-cylinder, and a pump located within said cylindersfor saturating and cleansing the carbid-tube, substantially as set forth. Y

5; In an apparatus for generating acetylene, the combination with an outer cylinder provided near its open end with apacking-ring and near its bottom end with a manhole, an inner cylinder adapted to move within saidouter cylinder, said inner cylinder being provided near its lower end with a ring or blocks and 6. In anapparatus for generating acetylene,

the combination with an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder adapted to move within said outer cylinder, of a carbid-tube depending from the top of said inner cylinder and a pump for saturating the carbid contained in the carbid-tube, substantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus for generating acetylene, the combination with an outer portable cylinder provided with a handle, and an inner cylinder adapted to move within said outer cylinder, of a carbid-tube depending from the top of said inner cylinder, and a pump for saturating and cleansing the said carbid-tube.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES J. FAULKNER.

Witnesses:

J F. HUDSPETH, .LoUIs DUSH. 

